Alosa macedonica
| Alosa macedonica | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Clupeiformes |
| Family: | Alosidae |
| Genus: | Alosa |
| Species: | A. macedonica
|
| Binomial name | |
| Alosa macedonica (Vinciguerra, 1921)
| |
| Synonyms[2] | |
| |
Alosa macedonica, or the Macedonian shad or liparia, is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the family Alosidae, the shads, pilchards and related fishes. Shads are typically anadromoous but the Macedonian shad has beome landlocked. This species is endemic to Greece.
Taxonomy
Alosa macedonica was first formally described as Clupea macedonica in 1921 by the Italian physician and ichthyologist Decio Vinciguerra with its type locality given as Lake Besikia in, Macedonia, Greece.[2] This species is now classified in the genus Alosa, which was proposed by Johann Heinrich Friedrich Link in 1797, within the family Alosidae in the order Clupeiformes, the herrings and related fishes.[3]
Etymology
Alaosa macedonica belongs to the genus Alosa, a derivatuion of alausa the Latin name for Clupea alosa which is the type species of the genus through absolute tautonymy. The specific name means "of Macedonia", the region of Greece to which this fish is endemic.[4]
Distribution and habitat
Alosa macedonica is endemic to Greece where it is restricted to Lake Volvi in the Mygdonia catchment in northern Greece. Its presence in neighbouring Lake Koroneia has been claimed, and that this species was extirpated from there when it dried up in the 1990s, however, its presence in that lake has never been confirmed. The liparia is pelagic living in the upper layesr of the lake in the warmer months and retreating to deeper water in the cooler parts of the year.[1]
Biology
Alosa macedonica is a member of the genus Alosa, whose other species are often anadromous migrating between marine and freshwater.[5] Research suggests that the ancestors of Alosa macedonica inhabited marine regions of the Aegean Sea.[5]
Alosa macedonica have teeth in the palatine and vomer.[5] They have approximately 50 vertebrae and 106-128 gill rakers.[5] They are about 181–230 mm (7.1–9.1 in) in length and spawn around the months of July and August.[5]
Conservation
Alosa macedonica is classified as Critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Threats to this species include pollution, falling water levels in the lake due to abstraction and invasive species.[1]
References
- ^ a b c Ford, M. (2024). "Alosa macedonica". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2024: e.T905A102878588. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2024-2.RLTS.T905A102878588.en. Retrieved 25 January 2025.
- ^ a b Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Alosa". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 29 April 2025.
- ^ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Genera in the family Alosidae". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 29 April 2025.
- ^ Christopher Scharpf (7 January 2025). "Family ALOSIDAE Svetovidov 1952 (Shads and Sardines)". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf. Retrieved 29 April 2025.
- ^ a b c d e D. C. Bobori; E. T. Koutrakis & P. S. Economidis (2001). "Shad Species In Greek Waters – An Historical Overview And Present Status". Bulletin Français de la Pêche et de la Pisciculture. 362–363 (362–363): 1101–1108. doi:10.1051/kmae:2001039.
External links
- "Photo of Alosa macedonica". Ittiofauna.org. Archived from the original on February 23, 2014. Retrieved 31 January 2014.